


Best Friends

by WattStalf



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, I wrote this when I was twelve, Rewrite, bullshit drama, im so sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 02:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: Naruto and Ino have been best friends since kindergarten, and always said they'd never date. But while their senior year is in full swing, they face major changes and soon begin to question what their friendship really means.





	

**Author's Note:**

> holy shit why am i doing this  
> i wrote this shitty, cringe-y fic when i was twelve, and i guess i wanted to challenge myself to try and rewrite it? I'm not even into Naruto anymore what the fuck  
> I'm going to change some things from the original, like some of the ships, but the main ship is still going to be NaruIno, I know that much. Anyway, lets see if I can make something semi-readable out of garbage from eight years ago.

I’m still not really sure how Naruto and I became friends, or remained friends for so long. We met in kindergarten, but those memories are kind of fuzzy; all I know is we latched onto each other back then, somehow, and have stuck together ever since.

We made other friends growing up, and by the time we were in junior high, we had our own groups that we stuck by, even as stayed close. I had Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, and Temari, and Naruto grew close to a group of guys, Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru. Then there was Sasuke, someone Naruto was close to in junior high, but by high school, he had his own group.

Sasuke was, from the time we girls were old enough to realize it, a heartthrob. Sakura and I often bickered over him, while Naruto claimed he didn’t see the appeal, which usually lead to more bickering. Of course, Naruto and I bickered often enough, to the point that anyone could tell that we were close.

That was when rumors started going around that the two of us were going out, and, being the junior high students that we were, we were appalled. I only had eyes for Sasuke, and Naruto confided in me that he liked Sakura, so the two of us did everything we could to make sure everyone knew that we were not, and never would be, dating.

“We can never date each other,” he said to me one day.

“Well, obviously,” I shot back. “What makes you think I’d want to go out with you, anyway?”

“Yeah, well, same goes for you!” he snaps. “I’m just saying that it would be way, way too weird, you know? We’ve been best friends for so long, we’re practically family, right? We even look alike!”

For the record, my hair is a lighter shade of blonde and my eyes are a lighter shade of blue then his, but even now, I still see his point. Two hot-headed blondes who’ve spent their lives together as only friends, nothing more...we were practically like family, and the idea of dating him was so ridiculous to me that I could only laugh at him for feeling the need to point that out.

Life went on as normal, with neither of us making much progress on the dating front, and before either of us knew it, the summer before our senior year came and went.

~X~

On the first day of school, I walk with Naruto, like I always have. His family expects me on those mornings, and I say hello to his mother before he comes downstairs to leave with me. I’ve often been told that it’s only thanks to me that he isn’t late every day.

“I can’t believe it’s finally here,” I say, once we’re walking together.

“I know what you mean,” he says. “Seems like just yesterday we were chasing each other on the playground, right? It’s all gonna be  _ over _ soon.”

“We’ve still got the rest of the year.”

“Yeah, but it felt like it would never end, and now...well, here we are!”

It’s a rare moment of agreement for the two of us, though our arguments are never completely serious, no matter how frequent they may be. It’s only because we’re so close that we’re able to bicker as much as we do, after all.

“This is going to be such a big year for us. And it’s going to be the year I finally get a boyfriend!” I declare.

“I thought you were holding out for Sasuke,” he teases, making a face.

“Exactly. I’ll win him over for sure!”

“So you say, but you’ve got, like, all of your friends competing with you, plus the rest of the girls at school,” he says. “Just wait till all the freshman start drooling over him.”

“You’re just jealous because you wish you were as cool as him. Maybe then Sakura would like you!” I tease back.

“Maybe this year I’ll win  _ her _ over!” he replies.

“Don’t count on it.”

“Why not? If you’re so sure that you’re going to steal Sasuke away, she might come running into my arms.”

“Keep dreaming,” is all I have to say. I’m not really sure how I would feel, having two of my closest friends dating. Despite knowing Naruto all these years, I’ve never considered what would happen if he got a girlfriend, and the thought of him being closer to someone else feels strange to me. I know that I shouldn’t think about it like that, since the feeling is something like jealousy, but I can’t help it.

I’m snapped out of my thoughts at school when a voice calls out to me. “Hey, Ino!”

I turn to see Sakura standing with the other girls, and I say, “Alright, Naruto, I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, yeah, have fun,” he replies as I run off to meet up with them.

“Today’s the big day,” says Tenten. “Can you believe it?”

“Me and Naruto were talking about that. It’s so weird.”

“I just hope it doesn’t go by too fast,” says Hinata.

“Honestly, I’m just ready to be  _ out _ of here,” replies Temari.

“Hey, so, did you guys hear?” asks Sakura. “They already announced the date for homecoming.”

“It’s our last one!” I say sadly. “If I don’t get a date this year, it’s going to be tragic.”

“Better find someone new to long for, then. Since I’m getting Sasuke to take me and all.”

“And just what are you guys going to do if Sasuke takes  _ me _ ?” Temari asks with a smirk.

“Hey, there’s no need to fight,” says Tenten.   
“I agree,” Hinata adds softly.

“Especially since I’m going to get Sasuke to take me,” she adds with a teasing grin. Out of my group of friends, Hinata is probably the only one who doesn’t have a thing for Sasuke, though I’m not sure who she  _ does _ like, if anyone.

“With our luck, he’ll just ask Karin,” says Sakura. Karin is one of his friends, and it’s often wondered if the two of them are going out, though nothing has been confirmed. I refuse to lose hope until it’s all said and done.

“I’ve got a month to ramp up my sex appeal!” I declare. “He’ll ask me, just wait and see.”

“Ino, could you not be full of yourself for five minutes?” Sakura groans.

“If you’ve got it…”

The two of us go back and forth as we go into the building, getting ready for our day. We compare schedules, pleased to see that we all have the same second hour class, agreeing to get there early, if possible, so that we can sit together if seats aren’t assigned.

The year has only just started, but it still feels surreal, knowing that high school is nearly over. Everything I do, I’m doing for the last time. My last first day, my last chance to have a class with Naruto, my last homecoming, my last prom...everything is happening for the last time. Nothing feels like it’s changed all that much, but I know that soon, everything will.

How much it will change, I still don’t know.


End file.
